Jun
Gas Punch
Back in basic training, we spent time learning to protect ourselves from poison gas. Part of the training was to go into a gas chamber while wearing our masks. The room was clouded in tear gas. One by one, we had to take them off and answer questions. The idea was to make you get a good lungful; of the stuff. That gas would hit like a 14 pound mall! Bam! The lungs burned, the throat burned, eyes tearing, choking, etc. Wow! I call it the “gas punch.”
Yesterday I talked of the train to the Shore. Debarking on the platform at Belmar had a special appeal. The sea air flowed through the Shark River inlet. Its scent wafted around the platform, each breeze refreshing its salty fragrance. Getting off the train was like getting a “gas punch” of sea air. It had the sudden impact of the tear gas, but none of the discomfort. Whereas gas brought pain, the sea air was Life. Its effect was immediate. Suddenly it was there, filling the lungs with magnificent air that inspired life. Cool or warm, it was an instant transition from the bland to the wonderful.
When I had gone to the mountains, there was also a rush of air. There was the wonderful mix of scents from oak and pine and maple. It was thrilling and wonderful. However, for me, the biggest impact was the air at the Shore. I would liken the sea air to a message from Njord and Aegir and Ran.
There are places where we resonate. One of mine is close to the Sea. The mountains had played an important part in my younger days. I had never thought of my self as a seaside type, but life showed otherwise. The mountains were someone else’s choice. The ocean-side chose me. That is where Life wafts in with the impact of a howitzer and a jolt of exhilaration.
What places gives you that jolt of Life? The seaside? The mountains? The desert? The city? Where does life resonate most strongly for you? Which place of all places gives you the kind of “gas punch” that revives and thrills? There you will find many good things. If you wonder which Runes and Gods and things resonate with you, consider the places that inspire every part of your being.
Sometimes it takes a “gas punch” to make the connection
